Repost This ArticleBOLTED IN THE 1990s, this spot in Switzerland is home to one of the two largest man-made climbing routes in the world, a 540-foot, five-pitch monster that curves its way up the side of the Luzzone dam. As climbers go through the pitches, the concave wall changes character, starting off slabby, then straightening out to vertical.
I haven’t personally been to Luzzone, but in pictures, it looks disturbingly exposed, with no features and little texture to the concrete of the dam. By the last pitch, climbers are making moves on steep terrain hundreds of feet off the deck.
Visitors who want to throw down on the dam will need to pay 20 Swiss francs each to get the keys to unlock the ladder that crosses the first section. For those of us who just want to live the experience vicariously, this video should be more than enough.
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Adam Roy
Chicago native Adam Roy is the former-Editor of Matador Sports and an aspiring renaissance man to boot. For more of Adam's writing, check out his blog at Ill-Advised Adventures.
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That looks crazy!
Oh. My. God.
I’m thinking about how tired I get when I try and combo a route-up the 70ft wall, down, and back up again. I can’t imagine climbing 540 ft.
This just blows my mind. I need to get out to the Boulder area and do some multi-pitch climbs.
Horrifyingly awesome.
Part of me wanted to look away. The other part wanted to plan a trip to Switzerland. ‘Course, I’ll have to hit the gym a couple more times before I’m quite ready for that…
Just a small remark, this is not the largest artificial climbing wall, but the longest artificial climbing route since the wall is a dam and not build as a climbing wall.
I bet that makes you feel real smart. Your mother will be proud of you.
Very cool, gotta go!
damn!